Improvement in potato-diggers



G.M.MARK&

`Potato Digger. No. 107,698l Patented Sep1;.2'r,'1870.

N. PETERS. PHDTOLITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D4 C.

` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. MARKS, on HALE MOON, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENTlN PoTATo-DIGGERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 107,698,` dated September 27, 1870.

To @ZZ `whom it may concern/ Be it known that I, GEORGE M. MARKS, of Half Moon, in the county of Centre and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Potato-Diggers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which y will enableothers skilled in the art nto makev and use the same, reference being `had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. 4 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a machine for digging potatoes,

whereby that tedious and laborious operation 'is performed by horse-power, and in the most expeditious manner; audit consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as here inafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figulrelrepresents a vertical longitudinal section of the machine on theline am: of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the botton or reverse `side of the machine. r

Similar letters of reference indicate corresp'onding parts.

A Aare the handles, which are su pported `in a sloping position by the triangular pieces 13, attached to each handle, the lower Sides of which run upon the ground, as represented in the drawings.

C is an inclined platform supported by the handles, formed ofor lined with metal, so as to present asmoothupper surface. vThe lower end of this inclined platform is brought to an edge, and'is similar in form to the edge of an ordinaryscraper, but with a projecting point, p E, extending forward and rising up, asseen in Fig. l.

D D are sides Vrising from theouter edges of the platform, to which the frame F is attached,

for supporting the draft-bar G. This frame is supported in a nearly horizontal position.

From the under side of the cross-piece H, a loop, I, drops down, with a number of holes through it. The draftlbaris supported in this loop, and elevatedor depressed by means of the adjuSti-ngiholes in the loop. A`

or iron, o, attached to the bottom ofthe screen,

and move the screen forward until the pin slips off the wire or iron. The back motion is produced by the spring l?. As the machine moves forward, a constant vibrating motion is thus produced. Point E and the forward portion or edge of the inclined platform C 'are lnadeto run beneath the potatoes in the ground. As the machine moves forward, the potatoes and earth Slide up on the inclined platform, and are delivered onto the vibrating yscreen L. The motion of the screen serves to detach the earth which adheres to the pota toes, and sifts it through onto the ground.

R is a pivoted gate at the back end of the screen, which is adjusted so as to deliver the potatoes from the screen as fast as they are thoroughly freed from the earth.

S S are side boards, which rise ou each Side of the screen, to which the gate R is pivoted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to Secure by Letters Patent- 1. The inclined platform C, point E, and yscreen or perforated platform L, arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In combination with the handles A, the triangular pieces B, substantially for the purposes described.

3. In combination with a potato-digger,` the Vibrating Screen L, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

GEORGE M. MARKS.

Vi'tnes-ses:

P. W. BURKET, S. SELLERS. 

